Deng Yang
鄧颺
Master of Writing (尚書)
In office
? (?) – 5 February 249 (5 February 249)
MonarchCao Fang
Palace Attendant (侍中)
In office
? (?) – 5 February 249 (5 February 249)
MonarchCao Fang
Chief Clerk (長史)
(under Cao Shuang)
In office
? (?)–? (?)
MonarchCao Fang
Administrator of Yingchuan (潁川太守)
In office
? (?)–? (?)
MonarchCao Fang
Personal details
BornUnknown
Xinye County, Henan
Died(249-02-09)9 February 249[a]
Luoyang, Henan
RelationsDeng Yu (ancestor)
OccupationOfficial
Courtesy nameXuanmao (玄茂)

Deng Yang (died 9 February 249),[a] courtesy name Xuanmao,[2] was an official of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China.

Life

Deng Yang was a descendant of Deng Yu,[3] an official who lived in the early Eastern Han dynasty. He was from Xinye County (新野縣), Nanyang Commandery (南陽郡), which is present-day Xinye County, Henan.

At a young age, Deng Yang was already famous in Luoyang,[4] the imperial capital of the Cao Wei state in the Three Kingdoms period. His fame put him on par with other contemporaries such as Xiahou Xuan, Zhuge Dan and Tian Chou. He held the positions of Gentleman of Writing (尚書郎), Palace Gentleman (中書郎), and Prefect (令) of Luoyang [5] during the reign of Cao Rui (r.  226–239), the second Wei emperor. However, he was later dismissed from office for engaging in superficial and fame-seeking behaviour.[6]

In 239, following Cao Rui's death, Cao Fang became the new emperor. However, as Cao Fang was still too young at the time, Cao Shuang and Sima Yi ruled as regents on his behalf. Through some political manoeuvres, Cao Shuang removed Sima Yi from power and became the sole dominant figure in the Wei government,[7] while Sima Yi claimed to be ill and remained at home. During this time, Cao Shuang appointed Deng Yang as the Administrator (太守) of Yingchuan Commandery (潁川郡) and later as a Chief Clerk (長史) under him. As one of Cao Shuang's close aides, Deng Yang was subsequently promoted to Palace Attendant (侍中) and Master of Writing (尚書).[8]

While Deng Yang was in office, he engaged in corrupt and nepotist practices. For example, he once gave an official appointment to Zang Ai (臧艾) in return for Zang Ai giving him one of his father's concubines as a mistress.[9] At the time, there was a saying in Luoyang which mocked Deng Yang: "Deng Xuanmao gives out official positions in return for women."[10] Because of his status and connections to Cao Shuang, Deng Yang, together with Ding Mi and He Yan were called the "three dogs".[11] It was also around this time when Cao Shuang was in power that a Nanyang officer Gui Tai (圭泰) offended Cao Shuang and his followers, and Deng Yang wished to severely punish Gui Tai. Sima Qi (司馬岐), son of Sima Zhi, reproached Deng Yang for exercising his power to take revenge. Deng Yang was mortified and furious, and yielded.[12]

In 244, Deng Yang and Li Sheng advised Cao Shuang to launch a military campaign against Wei's rival state, Shu, to boost his fame and authority in Wei.[13] Cao Shuang ultimately lost the Battle of Xingshi against the Shu forces and his prestige fell as the Wei forces suffered heavy casualties in the campaign.[14]

In 249, while Cao Shuang and the emperor Cao Fang were away at the Gaoping Tombs, Sima Yi used the opportunity to stage a coup d'état against Cao Shuang and seized control of Luoyang.[15] Cao Shuang surrendered to Sima Yi after the latter promised him that he and his family would be unharmed if he gave up his powers as regent.[16] Later, Sima Yi broke his promise as he had Cao Shuang and his supporters (including Deng Yang) arrested, charged with treason, and executed along with their families.[17] Just days before on 28 January, the diviner Guan Lu met with He Yan following He Yan's invitation. Deng Yang was with He Yan when they met, and Guan Lu predicted their deaths.[18]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Cao Fang's biography in the Sanguozhi recorded that Cao Shuang and his associates – Ding Mi (丁謐), Deng Yang, He Yan, Bi Gui, Li Sheng and Huan Fan – were executed along with their extended families on the wuxu day of the 1st month of the 1st year of the Jiaping era of Cao Fang's reign.[1] This date corresponds to 9 February 249 in the Gregorian calendar.

References

  1. ^ ([嘉平元年春正月]戊戌，有司奏収黃門張當付廷尉，考實其辭，爽與謀不軌。又尚書丁謐、鄧颺、何晏、司隷校尉畢軌、荊州刺史李勝、大司農桓範皆與爽通姦謀，夷三族。) Sanguozhi vol. 4.
  2. ^ (鄧颺字玄茂) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  3. ^ (鄧颺……鄧禹後也。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  4. ^ (少得士名於京師。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  5. ^ (明帝時爲尚書郎，除洛陽令，坐事免，拜中郎，又入兼中書郎。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  6. ^ (初，颺與李勝等爲浮華友，及在中書，浮華事發，被斥出，遂不復用。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  7. ^ (初，爽以宣王年德並高，恒父事之，不敢專行。及晏等進用，咸共推戴，說爽以權重不宜委之於人。乃以晏、颺、謐爲尚書，晏典選舉，軌司隷校尉，勝河南尹，諸事希復由宣王。宣王遂稱疾避爽。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  8. ^ (正始初，乃出爲潁川太守，轉大將軍長史，遷侍中尚書。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  9. ^ (颺爲人好貨，前在內職，許臧艾授以顯官，艾以父妾與颺) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  10. ^ (故京師爲之語曰：「以官易婦鄧玄茂。」) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  11. ^ (故于時謗書，謂「臺中有三狗，二狗崖柴不可當，一狗憑默作疽囊。」三狗，謂何、鄧、丁也。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  12. ^ (是時大將軍爽专权，尚書何晏、邓飏等爲之輔翼。南陽圭泰嘗以言迕指，考系廷尉。飏讯獄，將致泰重刑。岐數飏曰：『夫枢机大臣，王室之佐，既不能輔化成德，齊美古人，而乃肆其私忿，枉論無辜。使百姓危心，非此焉在？』飏於是惭怒而退。Sanguozhi vol. 12.
  13. ^ (颺等欲令爽立威名於天下，勸使伐蜀，爽從其言) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  14. ^ (是時，關中及氐、羌轉輸不能供，牛馬騾驢多死，民夷號泣道路。入穀行數百里，賊因山爲固，兵不得進。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  15. ^ (十年正月，車駕朝高平陵，爽兄弟皆從。宣王部勒兵馬，先據武庫，遂出屯洛水浮橋。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  16. ^ (侍中許允、尚書陳泰說爽，使早自歸罪。爽於是遣允、泰詣宣王，歸罪請死，乃通宣王奏事。《世語》曰：宣王使許允、陳泰解語爽，蔣濟亦與書達宣王之旨，又使爽所信殿中校尉尹大目謂爽，唯免官而已，以洛水爲誓。爽信之，罷兵。《魏氏春秋》曰：爽旣罷兵，曰：「我不失作富家翁。」) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  17. ^ (爽以支屬，世蒙殊寵，親受先帝握手遺詔，託以天下，而包藏禍心，蔑棄顧命，乃與晏、颺及當等謀圖神器，範黨同罪人，皆爲大逆不道」。於是收爽、羲、訓、晏、颺、謐、軌、勝、範、當等，皆伏誅，夷三族。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
  18. ^ (正始九年十二月二十八日，吏部尚書何晏請之，鄧颺在晏許。晏謂輅曰：「聞君著爻神妙，試為作一卦，知位當至三公不？」又問：「連夢見青蠅數十頭，來在鼻上，驅之不肯去，有何意故？」輅曰：「夫飛鴞，天下賤鳥，及其在林食椹，則懷我好音，況輅心非草木，敢不盡忠？昔元、凱之弼重華，宣惠慈和，周公之翼成王，坐而待旦，故能流光六合，萬國咸寧。此乃履道休應。非卜筮之所明也。今君侯位重山岳，勢若雷電，而懷德者鮮，畏威者眾，殆非小心翼翼多福之仁。又鼻者艮，此天中之山，〈臣松之案：相書謂鼻之所在為天中。鼻有山象，故曰：「天中之山」也。〉高而不危，所以長守貴也。今青蠅臭惡，而集之焉。位峻者顛，輕豪者亡，不可不思害盈之數，盛衰之期。是故山在地中曰謙，雷在天上曰壯；謙則裒多益寡，壯則非禮不履。未有損己而不光大，行非而不傷敗。原君侯上追文王六爻之旨，下思尼父彖象之義，然後三公可決，青蠅可驅也。」颺曰：「此老生之常譚。」輅答曰：「夫老生者見不生，常譚者見不譚。」晏曰：「過歲更當相見。」輅還邑舍，具以此言語舅氏，舅氏責輅言太切至。輅曰：「與死人語，何所畏邪？」舅大怒，謂輅狂悖。歲朝，西北大風，塵埃蔽天，十餘日，聞晏、颺皆誅，然後舅氏乃服。) Sanguozhi vol. 29.
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